A mother frantically called emergency services after her three-year-old son was mauled to death by the family dog in a savage attack, a court was told. Daniel Twigg suffered severe damage to his neck during the attack at Carr Farm on Tunshill Lane, Rochdale, on May 15, 2022, a jury has been told. He later died from his injuries, having “suffered massive internal and likely plentiful external bleeding,” the court heard.
Prosecutors said Daniel entered a pen before being attacked by two dogs named Sid and Tiny, each weighing about 50kg. His parents, Mark Twigg and Joanne Bedford, from Radcliffe, deny manslaughter and offences under the Dangerous Dog Act. They are currently on trial at Manchester Crown Court.
Jurors heard Mr Twigg and Ms Bedford had a “long association” with the farm, which belonged to Daniel’s godfather, Matthew Brown, the Manchester Evening News reported. Mr Twigg worked as an odd-job man for Mr Brown, the court was told.
The family had been living at the farm since Mr Brown was remanded to prison after his partner “complained about him,” jurors were told.
Following Mr Brown’s arrest, it was agreed with social services that Mr Brown’s partner, her young son, and their puppies would leave the farm.
Mr Twigg and Ms Bedford were allowed to stay temporarily to care for the remaining animals, feeding and watering them and ensuring their living conditions were acceptable.
The court heard the couple were responsible for eight or nine untrained guard dogs, described as “difficult to control”. The dogs were of various breeds, including an American Bulldog, German Shepherd, and Tibetan Mastiff.
On day two of the trial, jurors viewed CCTV footage of the incident. It showed Daniel entering the dog pen at 12.50pm, wearing a yellow t-shirt, prosecutor John Elvidge KC said.
Mr Elvidge said: “He was only in view for a few seconds before he disappeared, at the same time as sudden and persistent activity was seen in the adjacent pen, when Ted, a German Shepherd, was aroused by the attack on Daniel.
“It was nearly 20 minutes later, at 1.09pm, that Ms Bedford called emergency services, telling the operator: “The dog just killed him… he’s ripped him to pieces.”
Paramedics arrived at Carr Farm at 1.23pm, less than 15 minutes after the emergency call. Despite efforts to save Daniel, who went into cardiac arrest, he was rushed to hospital and died hours later.
Mr Elvidge added: “It is not known precisely how Daniel came to be in the side yard or what caused him to be attacked, but—self-evidently—he was alone and unsupervised at the time and able to enter the yard,” Mr Elvidge added.
Pathologist Dr Phillip Lumb gave the cause of death as “head and neck injuries (dog bites).”
The court also heard that the dog named Sid was shot dead by police dog handlers at the scene. Post-mortem tests showed Sid had not eaten for 12 to 24 hours before he was shot.
Greater Manchester Police analyst Charlotte McKnee presented a series of calls and police logs detailing prior incidents involving the dogs.
In his opening statement, defence counsel Andrew Thomas KC, representing Mr Twigg, said the jury must be “sure of truly exceptionally bad negligence” and “a serious and obvious risk of death, not just a risk of biting.”
He added that Sid and Tiny were not the couple’s dogs but had come to live at the farm only after Mr Brown’s arrest and the breakdown of his relationship.
Mr Thomas denied that Daniel was free to wander into the pen unsupervised.
The trial is ongoing.
